Fanning the Spiraling Flames
by Illogical Human
Summary: Her first memory was of fire, sitting in the garden on her mother's lap as her father showed one of her cousins the Grand Fireball Jutsu. Her last memory was also of fire, the forest burning around her as she defended her clansmen. Now though she was an Uzumaki, filled with the same fire to protect those she loves. The only problem, half her heart still belongs to an enemy clan.
1. Born of Flame

Disclaimer: Obviously Naruto is not mine. I make get nothing out of this except the enjoyment of writing it.

Author's note at the end of the chapter.

Ch. 1

Normally she would have waited on her little sister to eat, but that had all changed when she had been sent back to the compound. Father had made a match, and baby sister was now to marry Tajima, the clan's next heir as soon as she turned sixteen. At an even thirty, her father had not tried to marry her off in over eight years, he said she was too old, her bratty sister said she intimidated all the men, personally she just thought she had gotten too ugly after the deep facial scaring on one side. Powerful eyes or not she was destined to be a spinster. She reveled in it. Now no man would ever force his rule upon her, even father left her alone.

So now she sat in the silence of the mess tent, enjoying a rare cup of tea. Everyone but the guards had long gone to bed. As she blew the steam of her cup she felt a hazy genjustu attempt to take hold. Activating her Sharingan she kept her head down and waited, three black tome spinning lazily in each eye. It didn't take long for the intruder to make their move.

Just as they leapt at her unprotected back, she turned and drew steel meeting the would be assassins blade. Growling at his startled look she threw him back before slaying him. A Senju if the markings on the armor could be believed. Ridiculous, what idiot would attack a camp of Uchiha with a genjustu? The Senju knew better.

She heard the camp coming to life outside the tent. So it was a sneak attack. Whoever they were, they were attacking her clansmen. She ran out of the tent and into a massacre. There had to be a thousand to the camps hundred. Raising her blade she defended herself and those she loved.

The fight was dragging on too long and her clansmen were being picked off. She began to pulse her chakra as she ran toward the largest group of enemies. Her people knew what it meant and began to evacuate, sending as many enemy her way as they could. As soon as everyone was clear, she let loose with her most powerful jutsu.

A massive prison of fire erupted around the enemy as great demons of flame sprung from around her and began to attack. She kept pouring chakra into the technique, determined to not let any of them escape. She had almost the entire enemy trapped with her.

With her dying breath she set fire to the forest, the screams of her enemies and the roar of flames was all she heard until everything faded.

…..

On the hottest day of summer, the Uzumaki clan welcomed a new baby girl.

It would be a few years into my new life before my "old mind" woke up and became aware. It took almost another year for me to come to terms with the fact I had been reborn.

My name is Uchiha Satomi, or at least it used to be. Now I am known as Uzumaki Mai, youngest daughter to the Head of the Uzumaki clan and baby sister to Uzumaki Maito.

It was Maito that kept me from being a sullen child. It was difficult to be unhappy around her; she was always so bright and happy. I can say that thanks to her I became a better person. I was able to let go of my Uchiha past and mourn the loss. The brooding I couldn't help though, most Uchiha brooded unconsciously, and she would tease me if she caught me. As I grew, I became more Uzumaki, I missed my baby sister dearly but was able to except my new life. I was grateful she had not been on the field when the attack had happened. I knew after the marriage she would have been kept safe and out of combat. Death would always be a part of life, especially when one was a warrior.

I was five when my father, Ashina, began my training. We began with stretches, kata, and meditation. With mother I learned a new art that quickly became my favorite part of the day, sealing. The Uchiha didn't use seals, they didn't really know any. It had always been the great mystery of the Uzumaki clan once I was able to regain the mastery of brush and ink my intelligence really began to stand out and I challenged myself with learning the art.

When I was seven Father allowed me to attend morning training with Mito-nii, after this a daily pattern was formed. Taijutsu in the mornings after breakfast, we would break for lunch and then would attend lessons with mother until the sun began to set. The rest of the day was our own to relax or study, I used it to read. I was desperate to find out WHEN I was. How long had it been since my death? I didn't think my own death would be in any records but those I knew might. My sister was supposed to marry the future clan head after all. Surly the Uzumaki had information like that, even if they stayed on their island most of the time.

It was almost a year later close to my eighth birthday when my life would change drastically. It had started normal, I had drug Mito out of bed so she wouldn't be late again causing her to be grumpy with me. She had sat sullen through breakfast so I knew she would be brutal during sparing.

I was correct. She didn't hold anything back in her attacks. Our spar devolved into an all-out brawling. I was focused on pulling her hair out of its prefect little buns when she bit me right below the elbow.. I gasped at the sudden chakra drain and let go of her hair. We had both frozen in shock as I felt every scrape and bruise begin to heal, I could also feel HER; inside my head played her thoughts, dreams, and memories. In an instant I knew everything she was.

The tie was suddenly broken as father unlatched her from my arm. Exhaustion quickly took over and I passed out from the chakra drain.

…

I was in my bed when I came too, a small warm body snug against me. I felt tired and sore all over. Lifting the arm Mito had bitten me; I saw a clean white bandage, what had happened?

Lowering my arm I looked over at my sister curled next to me dead asleep. What had her bite done to me? If I had seen all that, what had she seen?

I felt her stir before her dark eyes opened and looked up at me. I was almost afraid to speak.

"Oh! You're awake! I'm so sorry Mai!" She threw herself at me crying.

"What? You're sorry? For what?" I was confused. Had it only been a one way thing?

"I bit you and it healed me! Daddy said that Uzumaki with that gift are extremely special and that,…they were not always Uzumaki, that…you died and…you remember. He said you must have died performing a great deed to be reborn like this."

I stared at her for a while as I tried to process. If what she said was true I had a unique gift with a huge problem and I was not the only one.

"I saw her…you…I'm not sure what to call her."

"I'm me and she is inside me so I guess you could call her my inner?"

"Okay…she's pretty."

"On the side without the scar."

"I think it makes her fierce! Like a warrior princess. Afraid of no one and doesn't need a man to save her!"

I had to laugh. "Your right I guess. She never married. Too old and ugly for a man, or too intimidating if my little sister was to be believed." Telling Mito was surprisingly easy. She knew the worst of it so what could it hurt now? It felt like a dam had broken and I needed to tell her. Maybe now I could find out when I was and what was going on other than everyone is still in a stupid pissing match. "Umm…what else did you see?"

"You…were, are, an Uchiha."

"Was, I am Uzumaki now. I will always love my little sister but she is far beyond my reach now. There is nothing more I can do for her now. She was to be married. I'm only sorry I missed the wedding."

"Oh…I'm sorry." Mito looked down and picked at a loose thread on the blanket, "It sounds like you were close."

"Yes, she was the baby on the family. Our mother became ill and passed away when she was two. I was the eldest of eight and the only other girl. Now, however," I grinned and made her look up at me, "I get to be the baby sister. Do you think you are up to the challenge?"

…

It was several hours later before father came to my room. Mito and I were laughing about the time I had cross-dressed and tried to sneak into the boy's side of the bath house.

"Mito, give us a moment please."

She quickly rose from my bed and bowed out of the room, shooting me one last look before closing the door.

Mito has told me about what she has seen. The Uchiwa fan, you are the first from the Uchiha clan to have the gift. You were born my daughter and I love you, however, the Uchiha clan is the enemy of our closest allies and cousin clan, therefore before we can proceed I will need a promise from you."

"What kind of promise?"

"That you will never willingly engage in combat, and any skills we teach you will never be used to take the life of another unled used to protect your own life or the lives of your precious people. Normally we allow the women of our clan to choose if they wish to see front line battles. You will not get that choice. For obvious reasons you will never see wartime combat again so long as you reside within our clan."

I felt a sense of relief wash over me. This was something I could easily agree to. "I understand. It would be impossible for me to harm my family, whether old or new. I have yet to meet a Senju in this lifetime so I cannot say how I would react. I know that harming a Senju though would also harm my Uzu family. All I ask is for the opportunity to continue my studies. I am fascinated by the sealing arts and wish to learn more of barrier seals. Also, if possible, I wish to know what has happened since my death. I had a younger sister that I cared greatly for and knowing her fate would give me an ease of mind."

"I don't see why we cannot help with this. I will gather what we know of the Uchiha clan, though it is not much. Your sealing will continue under the guidance of your mother. I will tell her of your interest in barrier seals."

I bowed as best I could from my seated position. "Thank you."

"As for your gift Mai, we have a few different sources that will be beneficial to you," He pulled some scrolls out and laid them on my bed, "Those with the gift are asked to keep journals of what they have discovered about the power to benefit others that come after them. These are a few that I thought might be beneficial. We also have one living clan member that also has the gift. She will understand if you do not wish to speak to her, she told me to let you know she was a Senju in her past life so you might not wish to speak to her. We will never require you to use your gift; that is your choice alone. None in the clan would ever ask it of you if they knew, it is a total invasion of your own privacy."

I clutched the scrolls tightly eager to read them. "Thank you, this has been a lot to take in. I just want you to know that you are all my family now. I consider you my father, and I hope, that I can still be your daughter."

He smiled warmly at me. "You will always be my beloved daughter, nothing will change that," he grinned, "You just have an extra quirk." He laughed a little and rose, "For now though I think it is best that you rest, if you are feeling well enough, I hope to see you at the dinner table."

…

That evening I decided that I felt well enough to join my family for dinner. My mother had been informed of my interests in barrier seals and was chatting excitedly about all the progress we would be making. I think she was more excited that she wouldn't have to waste time teaching me things I already knew such as Kanji and basic math.

Father sat as he always did at meals, quietly taking in his family with a content smile on his face. Always ready to cut in with a remark or advice.

Mito, however, was not her usual self. She kept her head down and picked at her food more than ate it. Every now and then she would shoot a look when she thought I wasn't paying attention. After only half an hour she excused herself and left for bed.

….

Later that night I slipped into Mito's room and ghosted over to her bed. "I don't love you any less Mito, if anything I love you more. You could have totally rejected me today, but you didn't, you excepted me and what I am and who I used to be."

She turned to face me and pulled the cover down. I crawled in beside her, facing her. "I'm just sad is all; it's all I've been able to think about all day and it makes me so sad. I've met the Obasan that came before you, the one still alive. I didn't know before why she was always so sad. Father told me that she had looked for family too. It had been so long though between her death and rebirth though that they were all long gone. Several generations had gone by; she didn't know anyone in the clan now. She has not left the island since then. I don't want it to be that way for you, but, it would almost be just as bad because we are at war with the Uchiha."

It took me a long time to mull over her words, what would I do if I found all my old clansmen dead and replaced by people I didn't recognize. It was a little depressing, but as long as my sister had lived a happy life I think I could live with it. "I held no love for my father; at least not for most of my adult life. He was the reason for my mother's death when I was seventeen. The midwife had told them that another child would kill her, but he was desperate. I had six little brothers, all killed after being pushed into combat too soon. My mother barely lived two years after my little sister was born. The only good thing he did was find a good match for my little sister, one that pulled her off the front."

I could see her hesitate before asking, "May I ask who?"

"He was to be the next head of the clan, Uchiha Tajima, I believe his name was."

Mito sat up quickly pulling me with her. "Tajima!? He's the current head of the Uchiha, he's still alive!"

I gasped, "That means that she could still be alive!"

"I've heard father talk about the Uchiha a lot when he meets with the elders. Apparently he has a few sons."

I side eyed her suspiciously, "Have you been eavesdropping again?"

She laughed, "Of course! Don't you?"

I sighed and lied back down. This was maybe good news, and I didn't even have to wait on father to gather all the information. If she was alive and the marriage took place, I could have nephews.

"Mai.."

I hummed to let her know I was listening.

"I heard something else you should know. The Senju are supposed to be coming to the island soon, the head and his sons. Something about clan relations, and how it will be a family meeting and not just a formal one with only father like usual. We will probably have to attend…will you be okay?"

"I…don't know. I won't know how I will feel until I meet them. I promise though if I can't say anything nice I'll keep my mouth shut."

"I think father will be telling us soon, I just wanted to tell you first."

I smiled and cuddled close to her. "Thank you Big sister, Good night." It had been a long and eventful day and I was still drained from this morning. I found myself quickly drifting off, looking forward to my new life among the Uzumaki.

….

Authors Note

….

So this is something I have been working on beside my other story when I have down time at work. I hope you all enjoy it.

I actually had a future part pop into my head at first so now I want to see if I can get her there. Obviously this will be a founding era fic and I am taking HUGE liberties with the Uzumaki healing bite so I hope no one takes offense at it. It will also be as canon as I can make it up to a certain point, then we will enter AU land and go from there.

Anyways, please enjoy and let me know if this is something I should continue updating.


	2. Your Hand in Mine

Ch.2

My training after that day became an interesting mix of learning and teaching. I began teaching Mito some of the kata I had first learned as an Uchiha, I was hoping that if she ever met one in battle it would help if she knew what to defend against.

"While this style is taught to those who have not activated their eyes, every Uchiha uses it in some form while fighting. If you gain your eyes, the stances begin to vary based on who you fight and the type of ninja tools you us and even based on if you are support or combat focused. Almost every Uchiha will use ninja wire in some capacity. I used it to move enemies into Genjustu traps, other times I just used a katana, though it would depend on who we were fighting. Some clans out there are immune to Genjustu so it's best to be informed about all the clans in case you run into them. Some of the larger clans don't let women on the field, especially if they are known for having a kekkei genkia, and would spook when met with a female foe. Some superstition about honor and killing a women or being killed by one; I thought the whole concept was ridiculous myself. They sure were interested in capturing me though, a female Uchiha with an activated dōjutsu, who wouldn't want that? Anyways, if you should meet an Uchiha you can bet that the basis to all their taijutsu will be this style."

Mito nodded along and practiced hard, I think she was excited I was telling her more from my past. I was just relived that I could pass on some knowledge that would help her survive.

"Mito, I know that if you should happen to enter the war you will at some point meet an Uchiha in battle, I just want you to know, that if it comes down to it, I won't hate you if you kill them. They will be coming at you with the intent to kill you and you will have to do the same. It's not that I don't care about them or anything; right now though, I love you more, and need you to come home in one piece. I'm teaching you this so you will have an advantage to defend yourself."

…..

About a week later at the end of training father informed us of the impending arrival of Butsuma and his sons. "They will be here in two weeks' time, a few days before the summer fire festival, and your birthday Mai. Senju-Sama wrote that he wishes to strengthen the ties between the clans, but did not go into more detail. He is, however, bringing his sons, so I suspect he will be looking for a marriage contract." Mito and I glanced at each other at the news. A marriage contract, this could be interesting. "We understand father," we said in unison.

Mito cleared her throat, I think I will go inside and prepare for lunch now; she looked worried between the both of us before slipping back inside the house.

"Mai-Chan, if you feel that you are unable to be around our guests I suggest you feign illness and retire. I will make excuses for you if I need to, I do not wish for you to feel pressured or uncomfortable."

I smiled gratefully at him, "I will do my best to be polite company, but I thank you for giving me a way out."

"I can give them an excuse of some recurring illness and hint that you will be kept away from the battle lines, which is odd for an Uzumaki, they might see you as weak. Not a good match to carry on a bloodline. It should leave you out of their considerations."

I looked toward the house where Mito had vanished, "They will want her then; for his oldest?"

After a pause, "Yes, his name is Hashirama. From what I have heard he will grow to be an honorable man, powerful and kind to a fault. He would be good to her."

I looked back at father, "And it will keep her off the field, cannot risk the life of the future clan heads wife after all, or clan relations if she were to be killed. She will hate that."

He laughed, "She will indeed, but I think she will understand. You never know though, he might not be after a betrothal at all."

"Perhaps not, but very unlikely."

…

True to his word, Butsuma Senju and his sons showed up two weeks later. We were almost afraid they had been lost, a storm had swept in the night before and made the seas dangerous to cross, but they made it. Soaked and shivering but right after night fall so still on time.

Mito and I had to excuse ourselves to "prepare warm baths" so we could laugh without being rude, the boys looked like half drowned cats.

After our gusts were warmed up and dried off it was far too late to hold any sort of meetings, so everyone retired for the night.

Mito joined me in my room and we both stayed up too late giggling over the Senju boys, after a while I admitted to Mito that clean and dried the three boys were all cute in their own way. I could feel her beaming next to me in happiness.

…..

The next morning dawned just as windy as the last, the rain had died down to a drizzle and quit completely after breakfast making for a humid day.

Breakfast was a quite family affair; we discussed our guests as I mentally prepared to officially meet them after the meal.

It was to be a general introduction to the guests and we were to be booted out immediately after. The meeting we would have to take place in would not occur until around dinner time.

After breakfast we ran back to our rooms to get ready. As I let Mito braid me hair we discussed the meeting.

"Do you think I should act shy so I don't seem rude if I don't talk to them?" I glanced at Mito in the mirror. She hummed before answering.

"The first meeting yes; we will have to show the boys around after the introduction while father discusses business. So maybe you could to talk a little then."

"Yeah…I guess you're right."

"Don't worry so much. It will all work out okay, and I will be with you the whole time."

"Thank you, I don't think I could do this without you there."

…..

We met up with our father before entering together and prepared to meet with the Senju. Mito and I each took a place next to father. I was as close as I could get and slightly behind him trying to hide from view.

When the Senju entered I felt myself grow nervous and slid behind father a little more.

Butsuma was an imposing man, tall with from lines beginning to show around his mouth. He gave father a polite greeting before introducing his sons.

The eldest, Hashirama, had a goofy looking haircut and a huge grin on his face. Tobirama, the middle boy looked a little sullen; almost acting like he didn't want to be here, I felt the same. The youngest, Itama, was a perfect mix of his older brothers, two toned hair and a carefree smile.

After introductions we were all kicked out into the gardens. Hashirama and Mito had pulled ahead of us as we lead them to the training grounds, leaving me with the two younger boys. She kept giggling at whatever he was saying, the traitor.

Mito was leading us all to the training grounds by the river; we had packed lunch so we would be gone all day.

The thirty minute walk was super quite for me, I think the youngest was too shy to start a conversation and the other was content to walk in the silence, I was fine with it. I didn't have to think up was to be polite.

Hashirama just kept smiling, "So what did you have planned? We should have let you girls change first if you wanted to spar."

"We can save sparing for another day, I'm sure our fathers would want to watch. If you want we can play some chakra games, Mai-Chan and I play one with chakra strings."

"That sounds like it could be fun. How do we play?"

Mito set our lunches down under a tree on a rock so they would be out of the mud. "Why don't you explain Mai-Chan? You're good at the game." She gave me pointed look. I needed to start trying to interact.

I gave a small sigh before giving my attention to the three boys. Hashirama was giving me a small encouraging smile. Tobirama was looking on with interest and Itama was paying raped attention.

"Well…you have to make chakra strings first, obviously, as many as you can the better." I demonstrated by making just one to start off with. "Using only chakra strings we grab stuff, like a leaf, and try to collect as much as we can as fast as we can." I grabbed a falling leaf and pulled it to me. "We can draw circles or something to keep our leaves in, we usually play with a basket but we didn't bring any with us."

Hashirama was nodding along in excitement. "This sounds great!" He made a few chakra strings from one hand. "I say we practice a little before playing however to get the feel of grabbing things with the strings." He turned to his brothers. "Itama can you make chakra strings yet?"

"Umm…" One bluish thread formed. "I think I can only manage the one." His cheeks began to turn red from embarrassment.

"That's okay. We will all only play with one so it will be fair." I piped up. I gave him a small smile. "Just let us know when you are ready!" I began to feel a little excited; I had only ever played this game with Mito after father showed it to us. I could see how I compared to others close to my age.

After the boys got a feel for grabbing and pulling leaves around with the chakra strings we played several rounds of the game. First with one hundred leaves wins. Mito and I won the first few rounds and then were all stomped by Tobirama until time for lunch.

I was surprisingly okay, I could think of them as only children playing and not the child soldiers I knew them to be. I hoped it would last.

….

The dinner that night was an interesting affair to say the least. Mito and I took hours getting ready with the help of our mother. She was sure that a marriage contract would be signed before the night was out.

Mito was ten to Hashirama's thirteen so it would be a while before anything became official. I felt it selfish but found myself relieved, it meant I would have Mito a little longer before she too would leave to be married, just like my last sister. Hopefully by then I could come up with a reason to go with her. I didn't want to lose another sister.

We arrived right on time and took our places. We were not being seated in our normal spots however. Mito was between father and Hashirama while I was stuck between Tobirama and Itama. I didn't mind at first. I was actually having a decent conversation about sealing techniques with Tobirama until I noticed the look on my father's face. That was when I realized Butsuma was aiming for the both of us not just Mito; he didn't care if I was not fit for a battle field or if child bearing could be a "problem", I felt like the floor had fallen out from under me.

"Are you okay?" I looked up from my soup to see Tobirama actually looking worried at me.

"I…." What could I tell him? That I was a reincarnated Uchiha and didn't want to be forced into a marriage with an old enemy? Yeah that would go over well, would think I was a complete loony. "It's nothing I guess, just tired from the day." I stirred my soup around no longer hungry.

He hummed unconvinced but knew enough to leave it alone for now.

It got me thinking though. Would I ever marry? Did any of the other reincarnates marry outside of the Uzumaki clan? True I had never married in my past life, but I had always felt I had missed out on something. Sure I had had a few lovers, in and outside of the clan. Any Kunoichi worth her salt knew how to protect against a pregnancy. I'm pretty sure my other father would have died from shame had I decided to have a child out of wedlock though. Heavy thoughts for an almost eight year old, I decided to wonder about them later.

"Tobirama-kun," He looked back over at me, "Will you all be attending the fire festival while you are here?"

"I don't know," He looked over at his father, "will we attend Father?"

"It would be rude of us not to. We are here so we might as well enjoy it. What day will the festival take place?" Butsuma looked back at father.

"The festival will take place in three days' time. And it will be a special one this year. My little Mai-Chan will be turning eight on this year's fire festival." I smiled bashfully

"It's almost your birthday?" Itama pipped up. "We should do something extra fun!"

I felt myself getting excited over a birthday and began discussing plans with the two brothers beside me. I missed the smirk on Butsuma's face.

….

The day of the fire festival dawned hot and humid. I felt a strange sense of excitement rolling over me like the heatwaves. Father had promised fireworks tonight, a rare sight on the island due to how hard they were to keep dry when shipped to the island. I had never seen them before.

The festivities began early as everyone geared up for an all day celebration. Mito and I were to meet the Senju brothers and escort them throughout the entire day. Scheming clan heads aside I was determined to have a good birthday.

I dressed in my favorite Yukata after breakfast and met Mito and the brothers in front of the house. "You all ready for fun?" I asked a little louder than necessary.

"More than ready Mai-Chan!" Hashirama gave me two thumbs up. I could tell he was an excitable person. I gave him a beaming smile. Mito would have him going in circles if she wanted to.

"Oh! I almost forgot." Mito pulled a small package out of her bag. "I remembered how you said you wanted to learn how to use this."

Intrigued I tore open the package to find a coil of ninja wire. "Oh, Mito I love it thank you!" The boys wouldn't understand but this meant more to me than she knew. A connection to my old clan, no matter how small.

"I thought you didn't fight?" Itama looked confused.

"I'll never be a combat ninja Itama-kun, but I still want to learn. How else can I protect my precious people?" I stuffed the wire into my own bag.

I grabbed Mito's hand and drug everyone to where all the wonderful smells and sounds of the festival were coming from. I was determined to forget everything hanging over my head and just be a kid, a chance I never had before.

….

As the afternoon wore on we had exhausted almost all the games and food stalls so we decided to just wonder around and look at the people selling festival goods. Little trinkets and funny masks, more expensive items like necklaces and hair combs, I loved all of it. It was hard to enjoy a festival day in a war zone.

"I've never been to a festival like this before." Mito and I looked at Hashirama as he studied a comb with leaves made from jade.

"Really? You don't have a fire festival?" Mito inquired.

"Oh no we celebrate the fire festival. It's just we don't have all this." He gestured at the street fair going on. "Too loud and dangerous I suppose. We usually just have a large banquet that the entire clan attends."

"That sounds kind of boring."

"Mito!" I looked at the three brothers. They had been having fun but were now miles away back with their own clan and family back home. "I guess you have to be careful with all the fighting going on."

"Yeah…but enough about that! Let's just enjoy ourselves. One day we will able able to celebrate like this because we will have peace."

"Peace? You really think so Hashirama-Kun, that there will be peace?"

He gave me confidant smile and gave a thumbs up. "I know there will because I believe it."

I felt myself smiling back as Mito spoke, "I like the sound of peace."

….

As evening fell we all raced back to the house to climb on the roof for the fireworks.

I gasped in excitement as ever one burst into a bright colored flower against the night sky. They were breathtakingly beautiful. It was nice to see an explosion that was not meant to take lives but to enrich them with beauty. If what Hashirama said was true and there could be peace, I looked forward to it. The Uchiha clan would love fireworks.

I felt a hand fall over mine. "Mai-Chan, I hope you don't mind if I give you a gift."

Looking over I saw Tobirama holding out a very small package. "Did your father put you up to this?" I took the small package from him and held it in my lap. "I could tell that he was disappointed when father turned down two contracts."

"At first perhaps, he wanted to make a strong bond between the two clans, but, even though there is no contract between us like our siblings, I hope we can be friends."

I gave him a small smile. "I would like that."

As I gently opened the package he kept speaking. "Hashirama showed me how to make it, its chakra condensed into a stone." I held in my hand a deep blue tear drop that I could feel Tobirama's chakra emanating from.

"Oh, it's beautiful. Thank you!" I pulled the ninja wire from my bag and severed a piece off, binding it around the gem. "Will you tie it for me?" I held it out to him.

Tobirama took it from me and gently tied it around my neck. I grinned up at him when he was done, grabbed his hand and continued to watch the fireworks with my new friend, my other hand wrapped around the stone.

This was the moment I knew peace was possible, and that I would do almost anything to see it.

…..

Author's Note

…

And Chapter two. Most of this was surprisingly easy to write. I have a future in mind that I am writing to. I just hope when I get there it's still relevant.

Thank you to those that have taken the time to read. I appreciate all of you!


	3. Embers

Ch.3

Butsuma and his sons only stayed a few more days after the fire festival. I was sorry to see them go; Tobirama and I had become decent friends. He was smart for his age; we had had several discussions over our training and a few on the war.

I could tell Mito was going to miss Hashirama, she had developed a crush on the boy, I just hoped that it would one day become a mutual love. Butsuma was still hoping to seal a second marriage contract in the future so there were tentative promises to see each other soon.

After the ship sailed, I stayed with Mito on the dock until they were out of sight. I didn't know it at the time, but this would be the one and only time I would meet Itama.

…

The next day I went to father to arrange a meeting with the Oba-san. I felt I was okay to meet her now, if I could stand to be around the head of the Senju family.

It was three days later that she showed up during our morning spare. All Uzumaki were gifted with a strong life force and a long life, but she only looked to be in her thirties and I knew her to be well over fifty.

Father dismissed me early so I could go with her. "What she has to say to you is for you only; we are not to know the secrets that the reincarnate have discovered unless they deem it necessary to share. I wish you luck my daughter, and hope you find all the answers you seek." He bowed to the Oba-san as we made our way off the field.

"You take more after your maternal grandmother in looks. She had the same dark red hair." I looked at her a little confused, "I am called Hana little Mai-Chan, I have been anxious to meet you."

"I'm sorry that this has taken so long. I was afraid that I would not be able to hold my composure, that the Uchiha side of me would demand action. I have come to learn, however, that I am capable of forgiveness. I have met with the Senju clan head and found a good friend in one of his sons. His eldest son is to be wed to Mito, he wishes for peace among the clans and the war to end. I like the idea, I hope to one day support him in this."

She nodded along as I spoke, "You were wise to wait. I will not expect anything out of you other than questions. I will not ask any of my own unless I feel it necessary. I hope what information I have will be useful to you. There is much to tell you."

Hana-Oba led me to her home on the edge of the island. She lived at the top of a cliff face overlooking one of the great whirlpools surrounding our home, I found it breath taking. "Eventually all of us come to live in the home," she said as I stopped to admire the view, "When I first came here after my fortieth birthday the one before me was still living here. We lived together for some time before he passed on. I believe he was almost one hundred and twenty."

"Will I live so long?"

"That is up to you." She led me into the house and began making tea. "Our gift is a unique one; we have the life span of an Uzumaki added onto the life of another." She pointed out the long row of beautiful portraits on the wall, "These are all those who have come before you; great men and women who studied hard to understand their purpose in life. The one before me was an Akimichi; he died young, only fourteen, protecting one of his very best friends. He was reborn as Uzumaki Haru, and believed that his gift should be freely given. He had given the healing bite to thousands of our clan before he passed away."

She pulled back her sleeve showing me the hundreds of bite marks over lapping each other all over her arm. "Every time you give your gift, some of your own life force is drained away and you own life shortens. Haru was the shortest lived of the reincarnates. I have not giving as much of my gift as the others before me, lately I have not given at all. When I died in my old life as a Senju I was already over forty years of age, the oldest so far to be reborn. When I reached the age of thirty-five here I began to get a feeling in my gut that I should only give in the direst of times, and dedicate myself to studying our peculiar gift."

Hana-Oba handed me a steaming cup of chamomile tea. "You pose a unique problem. You lived the life of an Uchiha, one that was in the heat of the clan war. Those that are gifted your healing abilities might not understand, and lash out in fear. You are the first from a technically enemy clan to have been given the gift. There have been a few others that come from clans the Uzumaki had never dealt with, "She pointed out three of the portraits, "They lived the longest due to the reluctance to give, and the oldest was around five hundred before he passed away."

"So, if I choose not to heal anyone I will just continue living? Long after all those I love are gone?" My hand strayed to the lone bite next to my elbow.

"Yes. This is the reason that most of use come to this house after a while. It becomes too painful to live among those we no longer know. I had no siblings growing up, and I never married. Many of my friends are the ones that make up the marks on my arms. I was not allowed to enter the battle like my friends did. The war has since claimed their lives."

After that we stayed in companionable silence, I observed the paintings and asked a few questions about those in them, but otherwise kept quiet. Hana-Oba had given me much to think about already, my hand firmly clasped around the pendent around my neck. Tobirama's chakra emanating from it helped sooth me.

…

My visits with Hana-Oba became a weekly event I came to look forward to. She always came in the morning to get me and I would stay with her throughout the night learning of my strange new gift. It was several months later she gave me a scroll written by one of the reborn.

"He was a Yamanaka, a clan specializing in the mind. He found a way to partially shield your mind during the transfer. If you wish to continue giving, I suggest you read this. I implemented this a few times when I was younger."

I gratefully took the scroll. I wanted to be able to help my new family, but I was terrified that they would do exactly like Hana-Oba had said and lash out in fear. The scroll was long and went into some crazy detail about different meditation techniques. I had a lot of work to do.

….

Two years after my meeting with Hana-Oba I used my gift for the second time. Mito and I had been training late into the afternoon in one of the lesser used training grounds on the island. She was trying out a new fire technique father had been teaching us. It blew up in her face.

I had been on the water close by meditating when I heard the pained scream. By time I reached her she was thrashing on the ground with terrible burns covering her upper body. Most of her hair had been singed off and the skin on her face and neck was beginning to fall off. Her top had burned almost completely off leaving angry red blisters. "Mito!" I was beginning to panic, she was having trouble breathing and I suspected her lungs had been burned from inhaling super-heated air. "Hold still!" I tried holding her down but she was in too much pain and barely coherent. I knew I needed to get her home quickly but was afraid she wouldn't make it. I knew what I needed to do.

Centering myself, I used the new blocking technique I had been working on for the past two years, and shoved my arm into her mouth.

She bit down immediately, clenching her jaw in pain. I gasped and curled myself around her, feeling the chakra beginning to drain out and heal her.

What I learned that day was that the pain being healed was shared. I felt every burn across her body as it healed; the damage to her eyes and lungs, the terrible burns on her face. I was frozen over her in pain.

After a few minutes had passed she stopped thrashing and lay on the ground with her jaw still clenched shut on my wrist. Her pain blurred eyes healed and focused on me as I knelt over her. The blisters on her upper body disappeared and the skin on her neck and face regrew. Her breathing was no longer raspy and wet sounding. As soft tufts of red hair began to sprout from her head she was able to unclench her jaw and pull my wrist from her mouth. She sat up and pulled me into her lap, both exhausted from the ordeal.

"My sweet Mai-Chan, you saved me."

"Of course, I would do anything for you Mito. I love you."

We both began to cry from exhaustion. I pulled the outer layer of my top and gave it to her and just sat in my mesh armor. "We should try and get home. Can you walk?"

"I think so." Slowly she stood on wobbly legs. "I think I can make it at least to town. What about you?"

I slowly stood beside her, "If we help each other I think we can make it home okay."

With our arms around each other we slowly began the long trek across the island back home. We were too tired to speak much more.

We were found a few hours later by father. It had grown late and the sun had been set for a couple hours. He pulled both of us into a tight hug before carrying use back home as if we were little children again.

Late he next night Mito clambered into my bed. "Mai-Chan, thank you."

"For what? Like I said, I love you. I will do anything for you. So that means using my gift if it's something you need, and you needed it."

"Still though. I know it's hard for you. So thank you."

We lay in silence for a little while before she spoke again. "It was different from last time."

"How do you mean?"

"The memories; I only saw those that involved the two of us, nothing else."

"I've been working on something. I guess it worked. Maybe I can start helping out more."

"Did you get anything from me?"

"A few things, most of what you were focused on was the injury. I did get a few things about Hashirama though." I gave her a mischievous grin. "Think of him often do you?"

"Oh you!" She gave me a light smack as I laughed. I was glad to have my big sister okay.

"I'm sorry about your hair. It was so long before."

"It will grow. Thanks to you I will have hair!"

"I'm just glad you won't scar."

We snuggled in contented silence before falling asleep.

….

"I heard about the accident last week. I'm glad your sister is doing alright." Hana-Oba was preparing tea for our weekly meeting.

"I'm glad I was there with her when it happened, I was afraid she wouldn't make it." I was shuffling through some of the latest scrolls I had been studying. "I used the Yamanaka technique. Mito said it worked. She only saw what I wanted her to see."

"You did good little Mai-Chan. Your dedication has payed off, I am proud to call you my student."

I beamed at her. I was thriving under her positive reinforcement teaching.

…

Tobirama and I had kept up a sporadic correspondence in the years since we had met. I would write him silly things about daily life on the island and how training was boring me to tears and my advancing studies in fūinjutsu.

He wrote of the war and how it was never ending. He told me of Hashirama's past friend ship with an Uchiha boy and how it had ended right before they had come to the island. Hashirama was still sulking about it. I could tell the war was forcing him to grow up fast, as it did to all those in the clans.

I felt it selfish, but I was glad to be banned from the conflict.

I mentioned Mito's accident in passing and how she was good as ever but looked funny with little tuffs of red hair poking up all over the place.

He wrote of Itama's death and how he had been ambushed by a group of Uchiha. I could feel the sorrow and hatred in his writing. I had never felt more ashamed of my former clan. Itama had still been a little boy.

Six months before Mito's sixteenth birthday he wrote that his father had sent a letter to my father about the impending wedding. They would be coming to the island soon to get Mito and any that wished to attend the wedding before heading back to the main land and the Senju clan compound.

I had been preparing for this moment for years, training and learning everything that I could. I wanted to go with her. It had taken a little bit of arguing with father but he had finally agreed that I could go with her as a hand maiden of sorts. After receiving Tobirama's letter, I began packing immediately, sealing everything but the essentials into scrolls so I would be ready.

When I visited Hana-Oba that week she had some surprising news. "I have decided to travel for the wedding. I have not been back to the Senju compound since before I passed away in my old life. I wish to see how it has changed. It has been nearly three hundred years since I died after all, and the compound was always the loveliest in spring."

I looked at her a little worried, "I'm glad you are coming, will you be alright though? It will not be too hard on you to see what had changed?"

"I'll be fine little Mai-Chan. I came to terms with my rebirth long ago. The question is will you be okay? You will be living in "enemy" territory for the next several years."

"After I learned of the marriage contract I decided that I wanted to stay with Mito. She has been my rock as I learned about my new life and how I fit into this new clan. I want to be there for her. Hashirama is twenty now and busy helping run his clan and fighting in the war. There will be times when she will be alone and need someone. I will be that someone to help ground her until she finds her own niche within the Senju clan." I felt determined to make the best of it.

…

The Senju family arrived two weeks before Mito's birthday. We waited at the docks for the ship to arrive. Mito was gripping my hand tightly. "I'm so nervous. What if he's not how I remember?"

"It will be fine Mito-Nii. I bet he's sweeter than his letters and much cuter than you remember." She grinned at me.

"Oh Mai-Chan, I'm glad you're going with me. I was so worried until father told me."

"You think I would let you get away that easy?"

"Silly. You're the one that can't let me leave without you."

"Maybe, but I'll never admit it."

Hashirama was exactly how I remembered, all smiles and laughs. Mito was enraptured. He and his brother had both grown to be ridiculously tall. Being only fourteen, I was the little one of the bunch.

We greeted our guests formally before leading them back to the house; Mito spoke to Hashirama the whole way, filling him in since her last letter. Tobirama took position next to me, "I hear you will be staying with Mito after the wedding."

"For a while, yes. I convinced father it would be good to experience life off of the island."

"He is not worried for you?"

"He was at first, and was not going to agree. My teacher however came to him and stated that she wished to travel for a while and would stay with me. I will not be going unsupervised, and she will not let me slack in my studies. You would like her I think."

He gave a short laugh, "Can't have you running wild."

I laughed, "Certainty not, I might get my skirts dirty! Perish the thought." I held the back of my hand over my face. Tobirama tried to hold back the snort.

Stopping in front of the house guest house, Mito and I turned to leave "I'll see you at dinner then!" I gave them all a grin.

"Let us know if there is anything we can do for you." Mito spoke as we bowed.

Butsuma assured us everything would be fine before he and his sons went inside to rest and clean up for dinner.

….

Dinner that night was relaxing. Mito and I chattered with the brothers while father talked business and made plans for my stay with the Senju family.

After, father called me into his office, gesturing to the spot in front of him I took a seat as the privacy seals settled into place. "You know little Mai-Chan, if you're not going to marry the boy, you shouldn't talk to him so much." He grinned as my face turned brighter than my hair. "In all seriousness, you keep giving his father ideas about you marrying his son."

"Is he still on about that? I thought you squashed that idea years ago."

"It's hard to do when you keep writing the boy love letters."

"I do no such thing! They are simply letters. Nothing lovely about them, unlike what Mito was sending to Hashirama." I made a grossed out face making him laugh.

"Mai-Chan, you have been such a blessing to our family, it hurts me to think you might be holding yourself back from something that could bring you happiness. There were others like you that married outside of the clan, I know you know this. Hana-Oba is not slack in your education. They all lived happy and fulfilled lives away from the island."

I figured now would be as good a time as any to explain myself to father, he let me organize my thoughts, "I can't," I finally said, "and I don't know if I ever will. How could I live happily with someone when I'm living a lie?"

"How do you mean?"

"How could I be someone's closest companion and confidant when I can't even tell them the truth? I really like him don't get me wrong, but how could he be expected to understand? I embody almost everything he hates. For all that I am Uzumaki there is still that part of me that is all Uchiha, which will never change. No, I think it best if we remain friends. Even good friends keep secrets." I looked at my lap a little dejected.

"I think you underestimate him." I glanced back up. "If your mind is set however, I will do nothing to change it. Just be careful my daughter, once you leave here I can no longer protect you. If you choose to use your gift do so wisely. Remember your promise to this clan, protect your sister." He came around the desk and pulled me into a hug. "I hope you find whatever it is you are seeking, there are too many shadows crossing your vision as of late."

I bowed before leaving his office. "Thank you father."

…

Mito's birthday celebration was going to be a grand affair with a festival feel. The morning promised a warm spring day with a light breeze, riots of flowers bloomed all over the island giving it color and life. Mito was radiant in her new kimono, one of many to go along with her new wardrobe for her new life in the Senju clan. The party would last all day and well into the night with everyone across the island celebrating in her honor.

The day was just how it had been on my birthday so many years ago. Mito and I spent the day showing the brothers around to all the games where we competed for silly things like who could win the most goldfish while blindfolded.

I showed them to all my favorite food stalls with the best fried foods on sticks. Tobirama made a rude comment about extra training so I don't get fat with a grin on his face. I shoved my fried squid in his mouth before running to the next stall, laughing all the while.

The night ended with dancing. There was a roaring fire in the center of town where almost the whole island was gathered. When the music began I felt myself swaying along to the rhythm before deciding to just go for it. This would be my last night in Uzu for a long time and I wanted to remember it.

The traditional dances of the island were just as wild as the whirlpools that surrounded us, and I was set on dancing everyone until the music stopped. I spun and twirled around with everyone else, sometimes with someone but mostly by myself. I could feel the energy and life of my people in the dances.

As I closed my eyes and spun, I missed the resigned look on Tobirama's face as he watched, as if he had seen something that could not be touched or tamed. I never knew of the promise he made himself, to help protect the free spirited fire I showed, as he watched me dance, the pendent he had given me flashing in the firelight.

…..

Author's Note

…..

I hope you guys enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it! Let me know if you think it's moving too fast.

So for reference I'm putting their ages as follows.

Hashirama-20

Tobirama-18

Mito-16

Mai-14

As always thank you for everyone that is still reading this. Know you are appreciated!


	4. Familiarity

Ch. 4

As our boat pulled away from the dock I stood at the side waving furiously to everyone I was leaving behind, Hana-Oba a steady presence beside me.

"Hana-Oba, will you ever return to the island, or will you be staying with us?"

"I think I might visit a time or two, but until you are of age and well settled I will not be leaving your side."

"What do you mean by well settled?"

"Hmm…well I'm hoping you give that Senju boy the time of day."

"Not you too Hana-Oba! Why does everyone think that I like him like that!?"

"Oh my dear," she laughed at my grumpy expression, "Anyone with eyes can see how he looks at you."

"You mean like one would look at a particularly stupid goldfish?"

Cackling she walked below deck, leaving me to huff grumpily at the railing. "Ridiculous! Why does everyone think that?"

"Think what?"

I squeaked in surprise and spun to find Tobirama standing beside me at the railing. "Oh. Nothing important!" I could feel my face flaming. Stupid family, giving me stupid thoughts about stupid tall boys and their stupid white hair. "Ugh!"

He was giving me a concerned look now. "Are you alright?"

""Yes! Perfectly fine!"

He hummed in thought while looking at me from the side. "Not home sick already are you?"

"Oh, well, no. Not yet at least." My face finally cooled as I leaned on the rail next to him and began chewing on my lip. "Do you ever think about the future?"

"The future?"

"Yeah, like way in the future. What it would be like if Hashirama's dream came true."

He studied me a moment before answering. "Sometimes. It is a nice dream I guess, even if it is ridiculous to think it would ever happen. My brother is so painfully optimistic though, he won't hear anything against it."

"It's nice to have dreams though. A goal for the future; gives you something to work towards instead of running through life unmoored."

Tobirama turned to look at me fully. "And what might your dream be little Mai-Chan?"

"My dream?" I smiled at him fully. "To protect all my precious people. To see them grow happy and healthy. Make sure that they want for nothing."

"An honorable goal to be sure, but what about for you?"

"Me? What about me?"

"Do you not have a selfish goal? I will protect my family with all that I am. That will always be my own priority. But I also have a goal to pursue knowledge and advance my mind for the pure enjoyment of it, not because it makes me stronger. So what is your selfish goal? The one just for you?"

"Oh…I haven't given it much thought…" I turned back to the look out over the ocean.

"Will you let me know?"

"What?" I glanced at him in confusion.

"When you decide, will you let me know? I wouldn't mind helping you meet your goals."

It must have been a trick of the light or too much sun because I could have sworn in that moment that a light blush was dusting his cheeks. It was gone quickly though. "I think, Tobirama, that if I ever think of a selfish goal I might be glad for the help." I laughed a little. "I've never really been one to do things only for myself."

He grinned. "I've noticed." We lapsed into silence then, looking out over the ocean enjoying each other's company, finally separating when Mito called me to come help her with something below deck.

….

We had reached shore and been traveling for several days when we were ambushed.

I had been hanging out around the middle of the group laughing with Mito when I felt a minute ripple of achingly familiar chakra, causing me to stop mid-sentence and look back over my shoulder.

I had a brief flash back of a sweet laugh and the mischievous smile of my sister moments before fire erupted from the trees.

The group scattered. I grabbed Mito around the arm and took off in the opposite direction from the fight, praying that we would not be noticed. It was not to be.

The familiar chakra landed in front of use. It was a young man, perhaps around Tobirama's age. He was on the thin side with his blue black hair pulled into a spiked ponytail in the back; and my sisters eyes. This had to be one of the sons Mito had spoken of.

"Mito, I need you to run back to the group before anyone else joins the fight."

"But Mai!"

"Now Mito!" Giving her a rough shove I faced the Uchiha and got into my stance. I knew I would not be able to kill him, but I could at least hold him back until I knew Mito was safe. "I will be your opponent today."

"Oh? A little thing like you?" He sneered at my short stature. "What could you possibly do against me?"

I smirked before slamming a tag against the ground activating a seal. A barrier sprung up between him and the fighting group behind me. "I can at least keep you out of the fight."

He growled before releasing a fireball at me barrier, while the attack couldn't reach me I could still feel the heat, making me falter a bit as my death flashed to the forefront of my mind. There had been too much heat then, of my own creation. I wondered briefly if my sister had tried to pass on the technique as I had shown her how to perform it before she had left for the compound.

I snapped back to the present as I felt my seal ripple moments before failing.

I flinched as I felt cold steel meet my neck.

"An Uzumaki. I believe my father would like to meet one of your famed clan off the battle field." Striking me on the back of the head I felt my world begin to grow dark as he lifted me and sprinted away with the retreating members of his clan, Mito's cries growing distant before everything went dark.

….

When I next woke I was practically swaddled in thick blankets. I slowly opened my eyes to find soft candle light illuminating an almost bare room. The most prominent feature being the Uchiwa fan proudly displayed on the wall directly to my left.

I felt a moment of confusion as I struggled to remember how I had gotten here. The boy, or man I guess, the one with my sister's eyes. He had brought me here.

I began to ease myself into a sitting position as I felt the bandages around my head. The brat had given me quite the lump it would seem. That was no way to treat your Aunt! Not that he knew of course.

The lock clicked in the door before swinging opened, startling me a bit. "Oh, you are awake. I must go get Izuna-Sama" What looked like a maid quickly backed out and locked the door back before I heard her retreating footsteps.

I was in so much trouble.

It was only a few moments later when the door opened again admitting the same young man as before. I sent him a glare as he smirked. "Such spirit makes me wonder why you were not properly trained in combat. They even let you off the island in such a state."

I huffed and looked away, acting grumpy even as I panicked inside. The eyes and the chakra were too similar for me to be mistaken, and the maid had called him Sama, meaning he was of some importance.

"Now no need to act like that. You are to be treated as a guest. We sent a hawk to the Senju scum, they know where you are and I'm sure will be eager for your safe return. It's a shame you won't be allowed to leave this compound. Come, I have to present my catch to my father and older brother"

"Catch!?" I looked at him in disbelief."

The maid came bustling in with some clothes as Izuna kept smirking at me. "I caught you. Therefor you are my catch. Now I just have to think of what to do with you." He grabbed one my hands turning it over. "You are no stranger to work, but hold yourself to strait to be anything less than noble. You're cute in a small animal sort of way. Maybe a table server? You could poor my drinks for me." He turned to leave. "I'll be outside. Try not to take too long getting ready."

The maid pulled me from the covers after he pulled the door shut and began tugging me out of my clothes. "I don't know why Izuna-Sama brought you here but you best listen to him. His father or brother could have you killed. I'm surprised you were allowed into the compound being from an enemy clan."

I kept silent as she helped me into a change of clean clothes and out the door. Izuna stood from where he had been leaning against the wall giving a small smile instead of a smirk. "The blue looks good with your hair." A little shocked at the comment I followed him down the hall to what felt like my doom.

…

I had only been here a few days when I finally found myself allowed to wonder more or less by myself. There were many areas off limits but they were not places I really wanted to go anyway. I had not seen any evidence of my sister during my stay, and as every day went by I felt dread growing in my gut.

A week in I was able to get away long enough to find the small cemetery close to the shrine. I had to know. I found my own grave first. A small thing like all the others holding only ashes as was custom of the clan. I giggled a little as I left a flower at my own grave before moving on to my mother.

I didn't have very many memories of my old mother left. I found that they had faded with time. I best remember the feel of her hands as she brushed my thick bush I called hair away from my face. Another flower was left behind along with one at each of my brother's graves.

After another hour of searching and doubling back I finally found what I had feared. My sister's grave. According to the dates she had been gone for a while now, over ten years. My old mind had only just awakened as she most likely lay dying. I settled in the grass before her marker and bowed my head as tears prickled behind my closed eyes.

I sun had set several hours ago before a presence made itself known to my right. Another chakra signal I could have picked out in the dark. I glanced up into a face that had once looked out at me from a mirror. That had been the biggest shock.

 _I had been led into a dining area to stand before a low table. Before me sat Tajima Uchiha, my sister's husband, but no sister in sight. Next to him sat what must be the older brother Izuna had spoken of. As soon as I saw him a froze. He looked like me, or at least the old me, his chakra even had the same echo as mine. Izuna drug me forward and introduced me as his cute little captive before hauling me back out. I remained silent._

After getting passed the shock of how familiar he looked I could see how we resembled in our personalities as well. He was protective of his brother and thought keeping me as a "pet" was stupid and dangerous. I didn't fault his thoughts but I would never hurt Izuna, even if his constant teasing was making me crazy.

"Why are you here?"

"It's quiet." I looked back at the stone and decided to play dumb. "She must have been important to be so close to the shrine." I traced my fingers gently over her name.

He followed my hand before reaching out and pulling me up and away. "She was my mother." He led me back to the house in silence as I formed an escape plane in my mind.

I had already found the crack in the wall, the same one I used to escape out of when I had been young Uchiha girl with brothers to see to my father's legacy. I knew that no one would able to come for me; my best bet would be to get out on my own and head in the direction of the Senju compound, and it would have to be tonight.

…..

The compound had been quiet for several hours now, the night watch settled into their routine. I eased out of my pallet mumbling about bathroom so the other girls I shared a room with wouldn't think anything if I happened to wake one. Slipping out of the hall and into the night I headed to the opening in the back of the garden and out of the compound.

I compressed my chakra as much as I could and moved slowly so as not to draw attention until I was far enough away from the compound to make a run for it. I had crossed a river before I deemed it safe enough and began sprinting the way I knew the Senju clans hold should be. I just hoped I could remember the maps well enough not to get hopelessly lost before I found Mito again.

…

It was well into the morning before I finally decided to stop and rest. I could only afford a few moments if I wanted to keep a head start on anyone searching for me. I climbed into a tree and perched myself on one of its large limbs before pulling out a stolen water bottle and taking a few sips. I needed to find a Senju, preferably one that knew who I was supposed to be.

While I didn't look like an Uchiha with my dark red hair, I was still wearing their colors, which could lead to some accidents if people were not paying attention.

I flushed my system with healing chakra that Hana-Oba had taught me to refresh myself before leaping back to the ground and resuming my sprint towards the Senju compound.

It was not until that evening that I first ran into someone. To my relief it was someone with the Senju clan symbol. I came to a stop before unmasking the rest of my chakra and settled on the ground to wait for them to come to me. I did not feel like being impaled with pointy objects if I surprised anyone.

It didn't take long before I was surrounded by a small group. I kept my hands in sight and waited to be addressed.

"And who might you be? Skulking around Senju lands wearing those colors."

"Please sir." I pulled hard on the 'I'm young and helpless card'. "I've only just escaped the Uchiha. I was taken around a week ago by them while I was accompanying my sister to the Senju compound."

I could see astonished looks on a few of their faces. "You are the one they took?"

"Yes sir. I am Uzumaki Mai," I gave a shallow bow, "My sister is Uzumaki Maito and is supposed to marry Senju Hashirama shortly after her birthday. Please, can you help me get back to her?"

He sighed before moving forward and helping me off the ground. "Your close now to the compound, we will get you there and to your sister."

"Oh thank you so much!" I beamed at them as they led me at a brisk walk to their home.

…

I was relieved when we finally made it to the gates. After running all night and day I was exhausted and in desperate need of a good bath. One of the group ran ahead, probably to let someone know I had been found, while the guards brought me into a gate house and gave me a cup of tea.

I had been resting my feet and enjoying the southing warmth of the tea when the door bust open and my sister came dashing in.

"Mai! Oh I was so worried about you! We couldn't find you at all after the fighting stopped and then got that awful letter!" She had wrapped me up in a fierce hug as soon as I sat my tea on the table.

"I'm okay now Maito, really I am. Just tired."

She pulled back and gave me a watery smile as I noticed two other figures standing just inside the door, Hashirama and Tobirama. Hashirama had a relived smile on his face as he leaned against the door frame. As soon as I looked up Tobirama moved next to Maito and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You sure you're alright? They didn't do anything to you?"

I'm fine! Really I am. They left me alone for the most part. Dressed me as a servant, I did a few chores, that kind of stuff. They didn't really even speak to me."

He nodded once before stepping back. I missed the warmth almost immediately. "I'm glad to see you okay. I feared they had killed you…or worse." He turned then and exited the building as Mito helped me up and out.

"Come on little sister, you will be staying with me tonight, then we will see about getting you in your own room." I let her chatter as we followed the Senju brothers to the main house. While getting captured had not been ideal, I had found the answers to my most burning questions. My little sister had passed on. I only hoped she had lived a happy life after I had died.

…..

After a hot bath I pulled on some clean clothes and collapsed into the bed with Mito curled around me. I let the silence stretch for a while before deciding to tell her.

"I found her."

"Your sister?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"She passed away. Around ten years ago."

"Oh! I'm so sorry to hear that." She hugged me a little closer.

"No. It's okay. I knew it was a possibility. You remember the guy that I fought? The one at the ambush? That's her son. Her youngest. I met the older son as well." I laughed and turned to face her. "He looks like I used to. It was so strange."

"…I'm sorry you had to go through that…but…I'm glad you know now."

"Me too" I snuggled closer, "Let's try and get some rest. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be busy."

She laughed." You realize my birthday is tomorrow right?"

"Is it now? Hmm…must have slipped my mind." We giggled before settling into a restless sleep, my dreams full of red eyes and fire.

….

I was right when I said that the next day would be busy. The compound was in full party mode to celebrate Maito's sixteenth birthday as well as preparing for the wedding that would take place a month later.

I had been shown a room where all my things had been left. Just down the hall from Mito.

I had just begun to unpack when a soft knock sounded on my door.

I opened it to reveal Hana-Oba, who immediately pulled me into a tight embrace.

"You are okay little Mai-Chan?"

"As well as I can be." I pulled her into the room and explained what had happened as I unpacked my things.

"You've done well then. I suggest you take some time to yourself after this party is over to meditate and center yourself. Trust me when I say you will need it." She rose to exit. "Just let me know if you need to talk. Ask for me in the rose gardens."

As I showed her out there was another figure waiting in the hall. Tobirama was leaning against the wall across from my room holding a largish box.

"May I come in? I've been tasked with delivering this."

I stepped back with a smile as he wondered through the door and set the box on the low table against the wall. "Your delightful sister told me I was to give this to you and insist you wear it on pain of a throttling."

"Oh really?" I grinned, "So you are a kimono delivery boy now?" I opened to box to reveal a gorgeous baby blue kimono. "This is far too fancy. If I wear this now I will have nothing to wear to her wedding!"

"I'm sure she has another equally as fancy outfit to stuff you into. You're not the only one she cornered you know. I now have to go change into my own ridiculous outfit"

"Ah, so we shall suffer together then. Maybe if we are sneaky enough we could play that chakra string game during dinner? I've found it's useful to throw food at people with no one knowing which direction it came from."

He laughed as he showed himself out the door. "That sounds like a challenge. I will meet you at dinner then." He gave an exaggerated bow before wondering back down the hall.

…..

Dinner that night was indeed a ridiculous affair. I was sat down the table a few spots away from Maito, across from Tobirama. We engaged in a childish chakra string food fight with no one being the wiser. We silently called the game after he sent a whole bowl of some kind of mashed vegetable all over someone he kept calling Aunty. The old bat looked to be a hundred and kept asking when Tobirama and I were to sign our own contract.

As the night came to a close Tobirama escorted me back to my door and bid me a good night with a kiss to my hand. I decided the strange flipping my insides were doing must have been indigestion and went straight to bed. My hand wrapping around my pendent as I slipped into a dreamless sleep.

….

Author's Note

….

Wow it's been a while. Sorry about that guys. I don't promise to update regularly or often but I promise I've not forgotten about this.

As always love to anyone reading this! I get giddy every time I get an update.


	5. Secrets in the Garden

Ch.5

The wedding followed a flurry of hectic activity that that I had avoided as much as I could. Maito let me get away with it unless it was something that needed my direct input, such as where I was to be during the ceremony or where I was to sit at the feast.

Other times I could be found hiding in the bushes in the garden from the Senju brother's batty old Aunt that had been covered in food at the birthday party. She had been serious about pushing Tobirama and I together and it was grating on my rapidly thinning patience.

Hashirama had found me pretty early on when she had requested help in locating me, he further endeared himself to me when he didn't rat me out. He did however get a mischievous grin on his face before wondering off back into the main house.

Tobirama joined me in the garden not long after, falling asleep in the warm sun filtering down between the leaves and causing his hair to shine. I huffed a soft laugh as I leaned back against a tree and followed into an easy dreamless sleep.

….

The wedding itself had been a grand affair only befitting a clan head; I stood proud with my sister representing the Uzumaki clans backing in the union. I felt my heart swell seeing Maito and Hashirama give each other adoring looks through the entire ceremony. Personally I was happy to be able to attend the wedding.

I sighed deeply and gazed skyward as I thought about my little sister and what her wedding must have been like. Had she given her intended such a loving gaze, or had she met him at the shrine resigned to be tied down the rest of her life to a man she didn't know. At least she had had children. If nothing else, I knew that she had loved them with her whole self. The way Madera had acted at her grave had suggested that she had held her children close while she still lived.

With a soft smile I felt something inside myself shift as if healing for the first time since my mind had woken in my new body. My little sister had moved on from this world and left her legacy behind. I hoped the love she held would be enough to break through the supposed curse of the Uchiha and they would come to find peace as I had. Only time would tell if my nephews would meet with the Senju to deal in peace instead of death. I vowed to assist Hashirama in any way to attain that peace.

…

The feast was a lively affair, much more than Maito's birthday had been. Tobirama and I behaved and refrained from covering anymore of his family members in mashed vegetables, but I could tell from the crooked grin he kept giving me every time our eyes met across the table he was thinking about his Aunts face when she had been splattered.

We were going to terrible influences on each other.

The night ended with dancing. I swayed along in my seat as the music played watching the Senju weave in and around each other in elegant twists that I couldn't even hope to understand. I was a little sad that I didn't know the steps as I would have loved to join in.

"Would you dance with me Mai?"

I looked up to find Tobirama in front of me with a hand out.

"While I would love nothing better I'm afraid I don't know how to. Your dances are so different from the ones back home, I'm afraid I would do nothing but step on your toes."

"Nonsense," He pulled me up from my seat and out among the other dancers. "This is a partnered dance; all you have to do is follow my lead." He gracefully guided me around the floor, catching me when I stumbled a little through a turn.

"Sorry! I'm not usually this clumsy." My feet felt like they had been tagged with weighted seals.

He just huffed a laugh as he kept tugging me along. "Don't worry about it. This is the last dance of the night so no one will make you endure another."

I grinned. "I think I could suffer another as long as you would promise to lead me." I felt my face turn blood read as what I said registered. What was wrong with me!? My mouth just kept spitting out silly sappy stuff.

As the dance ended the crowed around us moved to wish the newlyweds well before sending them off. My feet remained rooted to the floor as I held onto Tobirama's hands. They really were nice hands, larger than mind and calloused from years of handling weapons. I think we were both at a loss.

"Your birthday is coming up in a couple of months, close to the fire festival correct?"

Glad for the ice breaker I was able to let go and look him in the eye. "Yes, I'll be fifteen then. At least I will be unless Hana-Oba kills me first with training. Says I've been a slacking off and can focus now that the wedding will be done with."

"Ah, she sounds like a slave driver. My father is the same. Tell you what, I'm usually in the library after lunch, you could always come hide in there with me. As long as the weather holds we can even sneak some of the scrolls out to the garden."

"I think I would like that. You happen to be a very interesting person to speak with Tobirama."

"Such high praise from you my lady," he bowed over my hands, "Shall I escort the princess to her room? We wouldn't want you to get into trouble on the way after all."

I laughed loudly as we went to wish Hashirama and my sister goodnight. Maito beamed at our linked arms before pulling me into a hug and whispered in my ear. "Carefule Mai-chan or your wedding wil be the next one."

"Careful sister, they say the mind is the first thing to go with age, and you did just have a birthday."

"Brat"

"Hag."

"Love you."

"I love you too."

I pulled away to give Hashirama a hug before linking arms with Tobirama so he could 'escort' me to my room.

As much fun as the night had been I was looking forward to being alone so I could sort myself out.

….

They next day Hana-Oba made good on her promise and began to train me into the dirt every day from right after breakfast until I could escape at lunch. She had also taken over my seal training.

"If you are going to use barrier seals as your primary focus you need to make sure they can endure through more than one hit. Distracted or not Mai your anchors on your seals should be flawless. We also need to so over self-sustaining seals. You won't be much use if you're tied down to one place giving a seal a constant stream of chakra, you need to write in ways for it to draw natural chakra and keep that way."

I nodded along as I practiced throwing weapons at a straw dummy. I had realized my mistake during the fight was what had gotten me captured. The seal should not have broken like it did, but I had let old memories and the achingly familiar chakra single to throw me off. I could not make a mistake like that again. Next time it could not only get me killed but could cost the life of someone I loved. The whole reason I had gone with barrier seals was to protect without hurting anyone.

….

I spent my afternoons holed up in the flowering bushes with Tobirama, we argued over obscure text smuggled from the library while hiding from our respective families.

On one such afternoon two months after the wedding he presented me with a scroll with the Uzu family crest sealing it. "This came in just this morning by hawk."

I gently took the scroll, breaking the seal and settled back to read while he settled next to me with his latest find from the library.

The letter had come from my father and bore several containment seals keyed to me. They apparently contained a few more texts about my 'situation' as requested by Hana-Oba, to only be opened in private. I glanced up at Tobirama and watched him absorbed in his scroll, something about medical chakra, and decided to risk it. I could always seal everything back up in the scroll if need be.

Sending a small pulse into the first seal marked histories I gapped at the small stack that suddenly appeared. There had to be at least one scroll for every incarnate that had ever lived in the clan. Grabbing the oldest looking one I quickly sealed the others back and settled down again to read.

…

 _I feel despair. I can still remember the currents of lightning coursing through my body as my life slipped away. Were they safe? My sweet love and our unborn child. I must find them. Curse this small body and it's limits! I tired too quickly. My arms do not hold the strength that they once did. Power enough to wield my blade with deadly accuracy._

 _With this curse of a new life I have been given a gift of healing. The first of the clan to ever hold such power, but at what cost? I have used it several times on fellow clan members since its discovery. They look at me strange after the transfer but no one has turned on me. I can feel their pity though as they live through my loss. I feel drained after each use._

 _The healing bite is killing me, I know this now. The cost of saving my new loved ones is a bit of myself in exchange. But I have so much of my own life to give; I do not see this as a bad thing._

 _I found them. My wife has long since passed from this world. I have a son, old now with children and grandchildren of his own. They did not die in violence as I had feared. I am content._

…

I rolled up the scroll and exchanged it for the next one.

…..

 _Confusion was what registered first for me. I had been so young when I passed. Only eighteen. My father is a samurai in the land of Iron. We served a powerful lord with many properties and protectants. As tradition I was not supposed to learn the art of the sword as I was born female. However I was my father eldest child of three daughters so the lord gave permeation and father was allowed to teach us with the rule that we must carry our fathers name if we were to ever marry. My middle sister had already secured the Hataka clan name after she wed and bore a son so I was free to peruse the art of the sword._

 _We were attacked. Our lord was traveling to the neighboring village to oversee the harvest when the bandits came down upon us. We were overwhelmed quickly. I had placed myself between my lords son and two large bandits, killing one and holding off the other as long as I could. He was much stronger than I. As the fight wore I knew that I would not come out of it alive unless help arrived. While the others were holding their own I knew no one would arrive in time. In a last effort I rushed the large man angling my sword up. As I drove my blade through his heart I felt the cold bite of steal. I did not last long after._

 _I have decided to dedicate myself to this new healing art. There is so much more to healing then my gif; a strange green chakra that can heal injuries, a technique that can be taught to others and used by any willing to learn. I am giving myself over to the study of chakra healing instead of the art of the sword. I died by the blade once, I do not wish to do so again._

…..

Rolling up the second scroll and sealing it back up I thought back to what else I knew about the reincarnates. From what Hana-Oba told me almost all of us had died violently while protecting someone. Not all of them had been ninjas, such as the samurai, but some had even been simple farmers guarding against wolves. I wondered if this protecting theme played into why we were brought back. But what did the gift mean? Was it just a means to balance out our extra life force because we died before our time, or was it directly related to guarding others against untimely death? I hoped the rest of the scrolls sealed away would hold the answers I needed.

Hearing a soft snore I finally looked back at Tobirama, finding him once again, asleep in the sun. He made me think of one of the Uchiha cat summons from my old life. I laughed to myself as I imagined him with twitching cat ears.

Content with what I had learned, I decided to be bold and forget my issues of a past life and curled up next to him. In this moment, I could pretend to once again, simply be a young teenage girl with her first crush, and hope everything didn't go down in flames this time. Literally and figuratively.

…

Author's Note

…

Boom! Update.

I hope everyone enjoyed the little snippets from the scrolls. I had a lot of fun writing them out. I might do a few more later if it would be something people are interested in reading. Obviously it's not all of what was in the scroll but some of the important bits that help Mai understand those that came before her.

I feel like Tobirama is OOC but find myself not caring as much. He's going to start getting a little darker later on as the war drags on for a few more years, and I still have to kill off Butsuma and Tajima so that will be coming up soonish as well.

Is the pacing going okay for everyone? I know she is still kind of young but I want them to develop a strong friendship with this weird flirty/love thing going on at the same time. Tobirama's really just going to be biding his time until Mai grows up a little and comes to her senses.

If I don't update again before then, Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers.


	6. Teardrops of Stone

**FEELS AHEAD!**

Ch.6

The morning of my Fifteenth birthday dawned scorching hot. Hashirama had decided that we were going to celebrate, even when I kept insisting that we didn't need to do such a thing.

I groaned when I heard a knock at my door. They were here to terrorize me. Without giving it a second thought, and ignoring my sensei and sisters voices from the other side of the door. I dressed in the ugliest outfit I could find and slipped out my window, racing as fast as I could to our bushes in the garden. It was still early but I hoped he would be there. It was my birthday after all.

To my pleasant surprise Tobirama was indeed hiding in the garden. He grinned when I joined him.

"I thought you might make your way here."

"Waiting for me where you?"

"Of course. I wanted to give you your gift before the party."

"You didn't have to get me anything!"

"But I wanted to. And I made it. I know it's sort of cheating to give you the same type of gift, but I wanted to make something to go with your necklace."

"Oh?" I took a ribbon wrapped box from him. Inside was a pair of small teardrop earrings the same as the pendent he had made when we first met. I was at a loss.

"I've seen you wear earrings a few times but they never really looked right. It was hard finding a metal that looked close enough to the ninja wire that would hold. I hope you like them."

I snapped back to myself when he began to shift nervously. "I love them! Here hold the box." I shoved the box into his hand and pulled the delicate pieces out one by one and placed them in my ears. A small shiver raced down my spine when the earrings and the necklace began to pulse softly together.

Without any thought I threw my arms around him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you so much Tobirama. I really do love them and will cherish them always as I do my pendent."

Tobirama cleared his throat as he blushed furiously. I pretended not to notice as I stepped back, a blush of my own spreading across my cheeks, now at a total loss on how to continue.

Just as the silence began to get awkward I heard my sisters voice calling from the house.

"I think I better go know," I whispered, "Mito-nee will beat me as it is for slipping out the window."

"Of course! I guess I will see you at the party. Happy Birthday Mai."

I gave him a brilliant smile before slipping out of the bushes and into my sister tender loving torture.

….

The party turned out to be a formal family dinner, which of course included all of the extended family.

Butsuma was up to his old stuff again. He kept insinuating that this would be a perfect time to formalize a contract and that a year was the perfect length for a betrothal. I kept my thoughts to myself as Tobirama kept rolling his eyes at me from across the table.

He kept on even into the dessert course until a frantic looking guard arrived stating that my sensei had been injured in an accident and was requesting my presence. Worried I gave everyone a quick bow and a thank you before almost running out the door, not even noticing my sister and the brothers hot on my heels.

Apparently there had been some sort of training accident. Hana-Oba lay behind a curtain, deathly pale and bloody beneath the sheet in the infirmary. "Hana-Oba, what happened!?"

"A miscalculation on my part, the lad didn't realize the strength behind the technique."

I eased up the sheet to get a better look and wished I had not. I knew what a wound like this ment.

"I called you here to give you the last scroll. My scroll."

"No sensei. I can fix this," I whispered, "You know I can."

"I don't think you are ready for something like this little one. This is a mortal wound. They draw much from."

"Then I won't heal it all. Just enough so you live."

"You know that's not possible. The healing continues until it is completed or you run out of chakra."

"No it is. Father knocked Mito and I apart when I first found my gift. I had not finished healing her."

Hana-Oba took a ragged, wet sounding breath and closed her eyes instead of making a reply.

"Mito!" I hollered over my shoulder. Turning to tell my sister what I needed I instead found Tobirama standing there giving me a bewildered look. "How much did you hear?" I gasped out in surprise and nerves.

"Enough." He moved to the other side of the bed. "What do you need me to do?"

"I'm going to do something a little crazy." I whispered as I began rolling up my sleeve. "This is something only a very few of us can do. I'm going to have her bite me; the wounds will begin to heal. I will not be able to move unless the healing is complete or removed from her by force. I will need you to watch her wounds, when she is no longer in danger of dying I need you to move me."

Tobirama studied me for only a moment before pulling the sheet away from Hana-Oba's wounds. I heard his quick intake of breath before he looked at me in alarm, her lungs had been compromised and fluid was beginning to build in her chest.

Without another word I gently opened my sensei's mouth and placed my wrist inside. "I need you to bite now sensei, I don't want to have to hit you as well."

At my words she briefly cracked her eyes to see the two of us leaning over before looking her gaze with mine and breaking skin.

I immediately recoiled in as I felt the healing begin.

…

Tobirama POV

….

This was, by far, the most bazar day I had ever had. That morning had gone great, I had gotten the gift to her without turning into a cherry tomato and there had not been any stuttering.

I spent the rest of the day training with father and brother until time to get ready for the dinner. While Hashirama had suggested the celebration, father had turned it into something formal. He then proceeded to ruin it when he just wouldn't shut up.

When the guard had burst in I was almost relieved, at least until I heard the news.

I followed Mito and my brother as we all raced to the infirmary. They had been stopped at the door by an overly distraught trainee, babbling about how he was a disgrace and had killed the esteemed sensei. Hashirama and Mito had stopped to console him while I moved on to where Mai had disappeared behind a curtain.

That was when he first learned of her gift. Her sensei was speaking about a scroll and how the wound was too great for her to try, but she was insisted. When she had noticed me upon turning she looked almost fearful, but steeled herself as he moved around and asked what she needed.

I studied her as she explained; a healing bite. The Uzumaki really were extraordinary.

When I got a look at the wound I looked up in surprise, could she really heal something like this?

She spoke lowly to her sensei before the older women opened her eyes. She gave me a searching look before looking at Mai and biting down hard on her wrist.

I flinched, startled as she gasped out in pain and curled over the edge of the bed. Worried I ran back around to her side and grasped her shoulder.

As soon as I made contact I went ridged in pain, feeling my own chakra being drawn upon. I found myself unable to draw away as I felt myself spiraling out of control, strange visions of fire flashed inside my head, dark headed people I had never seen before and a flash of a reflection in a blade. Long dark hair and a right eye framed my four long vertical scars, as if she had been clawed by something. As the healing continued I kept catching reflections of the dark headed women, In a still pond as she meditated, several more times in a blade, on the polished surfaces of guilt décor, and last, in a cup of tea right before I was struck and found myself sprawled on the floor of the infirmary, looking up at Mito's panicked face before blacking out.

…

Normal POV

…..

I barely registered Tobirama touching me. All I remember was feeling his calming chakra pulsing beside me and reached out, realizing my mistake almost immediately I was unable to let go and panicked. I felt my shields crumble as my past flickered to life, proceeding like a bad drama.

When I felt the connection sever suddenly I felt relieved, and then horrified before realizing what I had done. I remember sensei grabbing my shoulder and pulling me on the bed as I blacked out.

…..

When I came too again I was back in my own room, carefully tucked into my covers.

"Awake now are you?"

I looked over to see Sensei seated next to me with a steaming pot of tea.

"You've been out almost a whole day. Missed the rest of your birthday celebration, but I don't think you care about that. What happened Mai?"

"I…" I swallowed thickly and took the cup she handed me, drinking deep even though it scalded a little. "I don't know. He was supposed to move me when the time came, but he grabbed me and then….I don't know."

Hana-Oba hummed in thought.

"You are okay though?" I looked sensei over fully. "The healing worked?"

"Yes little Mai-Chan. I am perfectly all right now. Thanks to you and that boy. It sounds like your chakras connected. But that shouldn't be possible. I've only heard of things like that happening with twins and close family such as spouses." She gave me a suspicious look. "Just what have the two of you been up to in those bushes?"

"What!? NO! No, no, no…nothing of the sort! We only spend time together."

She raised an eyebrow at me.

"With our clothes ON thank you very much!"

"Hmm…"

I reached up and grabbed my pendent as my face heated at what she was insinuating. I may be older in mind but this body was still young. Even if I had already gone through the dreaded puberty again I still did not consider myself mature enough for anything more than a crush.

I felt sensei's hands as she unwrapped my grip around my pendent.

"This is his chakra," she looked me in the eye, "How long have you had this?"

"Oh…well, he gave it to me right after we first met, on my eighth birthday."

She nodded as if understanding something. "I've seen you holding this pendent before, but didn't think I would be something like a chakra stone. That was a very intimate gift for him to give Mai. You've been familiarizing yourself with his chakra for seven years. If asked, you could probably find him in a crowded room blindfolded."

I felt the blush deepen. Had we tripped into something unawares? This was not going to end well.

Hana-Oba sighed deeply. "You need to tell me what happened. The boy woke early this morning and has been by several times asking for you already, worried I might add."

I gave her a surprised look as I slowly explained the transfer that had happened after he had grasped my shoulder, how he had seen everything, SEEN me.

"I suspected he might have. He tried to ask me about it several times. I told him it is something only you can tell as it is deeply personal."

I nodded as I studied my hands. "I will speak to him."

"See that you do. The poor boy is running crazy trying to figure out what is going on. Mito is running interference and her poor husband is completely in the dark, he's been a good sport about the whole thing."

I cringed at the mention of Hashirama and my sister. Two more people I would need to speak to.

….

After dinner that night I told Hana-Oba I was ready to talk to Tobirama. I was gazing back at my lap as he shuffled in slowly and sat by my bed.

"Are you okay?" He finally asked.

I glanced up to see nothing of the scorn I was expecting, only concern.

"Yes, of course. Tired is all."

"Good…that's good…"

"Don't hate.." "What happe…" We interrupted eachother.

"Hate you? Mai how could I ever hate you?"

"What do you remember, about what you saw?"

"There was a dark haired woman. She had four scars on her face and fought with a sword. Was she you? "

"Yes," I whispered, "But was there anything else? I need to know."

He sat a pondered for a moment as he thought over all the visions that had played in his mind. It took a minute before he realized what she was after. There had been something else prominent in every vision, a clan symbol he knew as well as his own.

"Uchiha." He whispered.

I had looked back down in my lap, not wanting to see when he made the connection. Without another word I felt him rise and exit the room. Tears slipping down my face and onto the blankets; I knew, I just knew he would never speak to me again as I felt my heart break. How could I be so stupid to let him so close?

…..

Tobirama POV

…..

I closed the door softly behind me before making my way to the garden, it was late and already dark out but I did not care anymore.

An Uchiha! She had been an Uchiha. I still couldn't wrap my mind around it. I had let her close. There had been plenty of times she could have killed me.

No! No, she wouldn't, couldn't do something like that. She was Mai, wasn't she? Was she?

I was so confused as I paced under the stars. I couldn't reconcile the dark figure of the memories with the vibrant girl I had come to admire, even love if I was honest with myself. But what would this mean? What could it mean?

I turned quickly as I felt a presence invade my space, finding her sensei standing there, studying me.

"Something on you mind boy?"

Why did she call me that? It occurred to me that she wasn't surprised by what had happened.

"You knew. This whole time you knew what she was."

"She is Uzumaki Mai, my student."

"I mean what else she is, or who else she is."

"Tell me boy, did she get a chance to explain, or did you run out of there like your tail was on fire?"

I looked down a little ashamed.

"Hmm…I'm going to tell you something. A secret guarded that you must swear to never break. I only do this because I care deeply about Mai."

I looked back up just in time to see her slam her hand to the ground and set a privacy seal.

"She is not the only one. There is a reason I am her sensei; just as there was a reason for my own sensei. We are called the reincarnates. The healing bite you witnessed is our gift."

"You?"

"Me."

I looked her up and down a moment before asking. "May I ask who?"

She confused me when she laughed. "It will surprise you."

"Was it someone I knew?" I thought back to everyone I had known that called me boy but found nothing.

"No. You would not have known me. I died well before your time. Generations in fact. But you would have read my name. I would have been your many times great grandmother on your mother's side."

I looked up at her in surprise. "You were a Senju. But…she is…was an Uchiha?"

"Hmm…It depends on how you look at it. Mai herself considers it as something in the past now, even if she does continue to let it control her future. She is afraid Tobirama. I think you can understand why."

I did understand. And I had just run out on her. While I still didn't know what to think with the new information, there was one thing I knew. Mai was a good person, a caring person. I remembered when she had first listened to Hashirama's dream. She had not laughed, but encouraged it. Like she was more than ready for peace, was willing to help him. I thought of all the letters we had exchanged over the years. Her letter had been tear stained when she had relied about Itama. The grief genuine. The time we had spent together in the garden. I couldn't forget the Mai I know.

"What she must think of me." I began to make my way back to the house. "Thank you. I…I am sorry. I know I must seem so stupid to you."

She stopped me with a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Not at all boy. Now please, go make it right."

I nodded as I sprinted back into the house, an idea for an apology already forming. I would have to make a quick stop by my room first for the other gift I had made and not been brave enough to give.

…..

Normal POV

…..

I could do nothing by lay in my bed and cry. I knew I would have to rise soon and ready myself to leave. There was no way I would be allowed to stay. Now that he knew. I would leave so as not to cause pain. Return to my little island and move into the house with Hana-Oba. I just hoped I would not feel like I was breaking every day for my inevitably long life.

I didn't know how long I lay there feeling sorry for myself before I felt Tobirama come back into my room. I was facing away thankfully, but it did no good as he came around and sat facing me. I kept my eyes closed and face buried.

"Mai, please look at me."

He spoke softly, not at all with the anger I was expecting. Slowly I uncovered my puffy face and looked into his red eyes.

"Don't say anything! You don't have to. I came back to tell you how sorry I was for running out like that. I was shocked. I never thought…" He looked down. "I'm not good with my words Mai; that has always been Hashirama's gift. I have always shown things more through my actions; that is why I hope you will accept this."

He laid a small box in my lap. I ran a finger over the lid as I stared, I could feel his chakra coming from the box. Another stone.

"I want you to know that I am still coming to terms with what I have found out. But that does not change who you are, who you have always been. It does not change what you mean to me Mai. I love you Uzumaki Mai, I think I have since we first met."

I looked back up a little startled. "What?" I whispered in disbelief.

He nodded down at the box. "I made that for you before I made the earrings. I never thought I would give it to you. You were always holding back from me and now I know why. While I don't fully understand what happened to you I understand what you were afraid of. I'll not reject you for something like this. You have always been genuine with me."

Nervous, I slowly opened the little box and found the most beautiful ring. I gasped as I pulled it out. It matched the other pieces perfectly, his chakra pulsing warmly in the teardrop setting.

I looked up to see tears on his face as I felt my own come back with a vengeance. "You can't possibly mean this. You know what I am."

"I absolutely mean it. You are Mai. I love you. Will you consent to also be my wife?"

I broke down in sobs. He didn't hate me! He loved me. He really loved me. He knew and he didn't care.

It took a few moments to gain my composure enough to give an answer, but finally I was able to choke out a yes as I reached up and pulled him down for a hug.

I held me tight as I felt all the tension drain out of his body.

For once in my new life I felt like I had a future.

After a few more moments of quite hugging he pulled back and took the ring slipping it onto my figure, holding my hand in his larger one.

"If you want I can speak to father in the morning." He gave an amused snort. "He should be thrilled."

A giggle bubbled up. "I guess he's getting his contract after all."

"Indeed." He gave me a grin.

With a happy sigh I rested my forehead against his, content to just stay in this moment forever. I knew now that whatever the reason for my rebirth, I would not have to face it alone. I felt hopeful.

….

Author's Note

…..

Holy crap guys. This chapter.


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